Rimmed-plate dispenser



Jan. 22, 1963 I w. E. CHEELEY 3,074,594

RIMMEDQPLATE DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Fil ed Dec. 19, 1957 INVENTOR.WILLIAM E. CHEELEY ATTORNEYS ,as conveyers, filling machines, etc.

United States Patent 3,074,594 RIMMED-PLATE DISPENSER William E.Cheeley, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond,Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 19, 1957, Ser. No. 703,885 17Claims. (Cl. 22193) This invention relates to a dispenser for dispensingor serially dropping the lowest receptacle, such as an aluminum foilplate, from one or more stacks of similar receptacles.

The dispenser, in the preferred embodiment, is mounted on a large baseplate, and incorporates one or more of the following features: The mainpower transfer unit is carried by the base plate. The dispenser can bemounted over or adjacent many types of machines, such It can be poweredby the motor of the machine with which it is used. It can be stopped andstarted independently of the machine from which the power is taken. Itincorporates design features which allows interchangeable finger plates,or sub-base plates, for dispensing receptacles of different shapesand/or sizes.

The fingers which support and release the bottom receptacle from a stackof like receptacles, in the preferred embodiment, incorporate one ormore of the following features. The fingers can be manually adjusted toaccept different vertical thicknesses of receptacle rims or beads. Thefingers automatically adjust themselves 2 to the usual productiontolerance variations of rim bead diameter or vertical thickness in agiven stack of like receptacles. The fingers are shaped to minimize oreliminate damage to the containers, should any production tolerancevariations exceed the automatic adjustment corner of the lowestreceptacle accidentally slips past the adjacent finger, the other threefingers maintain the remaining receptacles of the stack in properalignment, thus preventing dislocation of a large number of corners ofreceptacles immediately above.

More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide a pluralityof fin-ger supporting levers oscillatable adjacent the opening throughwhich the receptacles are dropped, these levers extending toward theedge of the opening, and each lever having a pair of vertically andlaterally spaced fingers alternately engaging and supporting rims of thereceptacles, the vertical spacing of the fingers being substantiallyequal to the vertical thickness of the rims, one of the fingers beingvertically yieldable to compensate for the usual production tolerancevariations in the thickness of the rims of the receptacles.

Another object of this invention is to provide a finger supporting leverconstruction for use with a machine of the character described which hasa finger support plate with a knife-like finger extending over the edgeof the opening through which the receptacles are dropped, together witha second finger support plate resiliently supported adjacent the firstfinger support plate which has a second knife-like finger extending overthe edge of the opening and being laterally and vertically spaced fromthe first knife-like finger.

Another object of this invention is to provide a supporting leverconstruction which has two knife-like fingers for alternately supportingthe lowest receptacle in the "ice stack and in which the verticalspacing fingers may be manually adjusted in an efiicient manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser mounted on alarge base plate with part of the actuating mechanism mounted thereon,and receiving a plurality of sub-base plates being removable andinterchangeable with other sub-base plates.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter above referred to in which vertical rods of different lengthsare supported adjacent the opening through which the receptacles aredropped for guiding the receptacles through said openings.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a machine embodying thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation taken from the lower left corner of FIG. 1 inthe direction indicated by line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation taken from the upper left corner of FIG. 1 inthe direction indicated by the line 3-3- of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the lever constructions andother elements around one of the openings through which the receptaclesare dropped, and showing only the lower two receptacles of the usualstack.

FIG. 5 is a view similar .to FIG. 4, showing a subsequent step in theoperation of the machine.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, showing a further step in theoperation of the machine.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan View of one of the lever constructions.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7, withportions of the main base plate and subbase plate added.

FIG. 9 is a cross-section along line 99 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-section along line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a view in perspective of a sector cut off from the end of thelever constructions shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the lower knife-like finger of FIG. 11,with parts broken away.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the upper finger of FIG. 11, with a partbroken away.

FIGS. 14l6 are diagrammatic views showing the automatic adjustment ofthe fingers for slightly diiferent rims.

Referring first mainly to FIGS. 1 and 2 the machine includes arelatively large base plate 20 having a relatively large sub-base platereceiving opening 22, in which a plurality of sub-base plates or fingerplates or bed plates 24 are supported by a flange construction 22a (FIG.8). The base plate 20 and sub-base plates 24 comprise a support of themachine of this invention.

Each of the sub-base plates 24 has a receptacle dropping opening 26,through which the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles isdropped serially upon the conveyer 28, which moves transversely to themain base plate 20, as indicated by the arrow 29. The receptaclesserially drop through the openings 26 and are carried by the conveyor 28in rows, as indicated at 30 in FIG. 1

A plurality of long vertical rods 32 (FIGS. 4-6) and shorter verticalrods 34 are supported adjacent the openings 26 on the sub-base plates 24to guide the stacks of receptacles to the openings 26, from which theyare dropped serially by the operation of the lever constructions orreceptacle removers 36, which extend toward the openings 26. The rods 32and 34 comprise receptacle stack receivers. The oscillations of theselever constructions 36 drop the lowest receptacles from each stack in amanner to be more fully described.

amuse The upper ends of the shorter rods 34 are slanted or rounded, asindicated at 3411, properly to align the receptacles in the stack asthey descend to the lower level where the short rods 34 are located.

A pair of longitudinally oscillatable bars 38 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 8) aresupponted on the large base plate 20 by means-of the bearing blocks 39which are bolted or otherwise secured at the ends of the base plate 20and at other suitable intervals, if desired, to prevent lateral movementof the bars 38. These bars are longitudinally oscillated by theconnecting rods 43a and the adjustable eccentrics 4t rotated by theshaft 41, which is driven by the chain 42 (FIG. 3) below the plate 29.If desired, the gearing 43 may be driven by the shaft 43a by a chain 43bpassing over the sprocket wheel 43c and powered by the motor, not shown,which drives the conveyer 28. The gears 43 drive the shaft 43d which isloosely connected to the aligned shaft 43c. The recep tacle droppingoperations are coordinated with the lateral travel of the belt 28,properly to distribute the receptacles in rows on the belt 28. Ifdesired, clutch 45, operated by lever 45a, may be provided between theloosely connected shafts 43d and 43a. The shaft 43e has the sprocketwheel 43 engaging the chain 42 which in turn drives the sprocket wheel43g on shaft 41 to enable the conveyer belt 28 to be driven while thereceptacle dropping mechanism operates or is idle, depending on theposition of lever or handle 45a.

The receptacle supporting lever constructions 36 are more particularlyshown in FIGS. 7-16. A main lever 44 swings about a fulcrum pin 46 whichis threadedly mounted at 46:: on the sub-base plate 24. The pin 46 issurrounded by the bearing or bushing 47, which is engaged at its upperend by the head 46a and the lower end of which engages the washer orspacer 47a. The bearing 47 has an enlarged central belt 471:, the uppershoulder of which engages the lever 44, and the lower shoulder of whichengages the upper surface of a lower finger support plate 48, while thelower thin portion of bearing 47 passes through the plate 48. The fingersupport plate 48 is connected at its other end to the main lever 44 bymeans of the fiat headed pin 50, which is surrounded by the spacingsleeve 52 and is threadedly connected to the plate 48 at 54. Thisconstruction, together with the Washer 47;: and sleeve 47, surroundingpin 46, rigidly secure the plate 48 in spaced relation to the main lever44. Alower, or first, knife-like finger 60 is secured to, or is integralwith, the plate 48 and extends from the end of the plate over the edgeof the opening 26 (FIG. 1) over which it oscillates. The finger 60 has adownward taper at 61 (FIGS. 11, 12, 14-16) which allows the finger 60 towedge itself above the lower receptacle of the stack to force itdownwardly through opening 26 in a manner further to be described.

A second, or intermediate, finger support plate 62, which is an upperplate with respect to the lower or first plate 48, is resiliently andpivotally supported intermediate the plate 48 and the lever 44. To thisend, the "compression springs 64, 6-5 and 66 are placed in recesses 67and 68 in the plate 48 upwardly to urge the plate 62 toward the lever44. A pivotal ball bearing 70 is placed between the plate 62 and thelever 44in recesses 72 and 74. A screw 76 is threaded through the plate44 and its tapered lower end presses against the top surface of theplate 62. A locking spring 80 engages the top surface of lever 44 andthe lower face of the head 76a of screw 76 and prevents screw 76 fromturning from its selected position. By this construction, the plate 62is resiliently and pivotally mounted in an eflicient and facile manner.The machine may be adjusted for receptacle rims of widely differentlyvertical widths by manipulation of screw 76.

A second, or upper finger 82 is connected to, or is int'egral with theplate 62. It has a downwardly. and upwardly tapered edge 82a and 82b(-FIG. 13) and 'is 4 rounded at its leading edge at 830 (FIG. 11) toenable it temporarily to adjust itself to the slightly varyingthicknesses of the rims of the receptacles, which is inherent in highquantity production. Finger 82 is also shaped to wedge itself gentlybetween adjacent rim, of the receptacles.

The screw 76 is used manually to adjust the knifelike fingers 60 and 82for widely different thicknesses of rims, as when different width rimsare ordered or received. The springs 64, 65 and 66 permit the finger 82,and its supporting plate 62, to adjust automatically upwardly ordownwardly for small production tolerance variations in the beadthickness in a given stack of substantially like receptacles.

The end 86 of the lever 44 is provided with a slot 87 (FIGS. 7 and 8)which receives the head 88 of the screw 89 which threadedly engages thetapped opening 90 in the sliding block 91 which surrounds theoscillating bar 38. The end of screw 9%) engages the fiat top 93 formedin the upper part of bar 38. This construction oscillates the lever 44and the lever construction attached thereto, as the blocks 91 slide backand forth over the upper surface of the ridge 20a of the base plate 20.These blocks 91 also support the intermediate portion of the bar 38above the base 20.

Thus, by merely lifting either or both sub-base plates 24 verticallyupwardly, the levers 44 secured to the respective sub-base plate 24 arefreely detached from the vertically disposed drive pins 88 through theenlarged slots 87 of the levers 44. In this manner, the sub-lbase plates24 and attached levers 44 can be readily removed from the base 20 andinterchanged as desired without the necessity of unfastening orfastening time consuming connections.

Referring to FIG. 4, only the lowest receptacle 94 and the next to thelowest receptacle 95 of a stack of receptacles are shown to permit aclearer disclosure, it being understood that the stack may extendupwardly between the rods 32 and 34 to an indefinite height, limited bythe length of rods 32. The lowest receptacle 94 has a rim or bead 94aand the receptacle 95 has a rim or head -5a. These rims form theinter-groove 96 into which the upper knife-like fingers 82 will pass asthe lever constructions 36 oscillate from the position shown in FIG. 4to the position shown in FIG. 5. When the levers reach the positionshown in FIG. 5, the lower fingers 6%) have moved out from under the rim94a, and the pan 94 has dropped and disappeared through the opening 26,which is slightly larger than the horizontal extent of rims 94a, 95a,etc., of the receptacles. The rim 95a, in FIG. 5, now rests on the upperfingers 82 which now support the entire stack. As the leverconstructions 36 move to the position shown in FIG. 6, the upper fingers82 are moving out from under the rim 95a, and this movement eventuallywill drop the rim 95a onto the lower fingers 60 when the levers 36return to the original position shown in FIG. 4. The reverse movementfrom FIG. 5

to FIG. 4 does not drop any receptacle through the open-- FIG. 6 alsoindicates how a deformity in any one receptacle is prevented fromdisarranging a large number of receptacles in the stack. The rim 95a isshown slightly deformed at 97. The upper right finger 82 may press therim inwardly at 917, but the other three fingers pass under the rim 95aand support the receptacle 95, and the stack above it (not shown), sothe next receptacle will be properly received and supported by all fourfingers 66 when the levers return to the position of FIG. 4.

The large base plate 20, with the smaller sub-base plates 24 (FIGS. 1, 8and 9) enable the interchange with other sub-base plates having openingsand/ or levers of different size or shape for use with receptacles ofother sizes and shapes. One or more of the sub-base plates 24 may beremoved and replaced by such other sub-base plates as is desired. Inthis manner the machine may be changed from time to time for use withreceptacles of different sizes and shapes. The change may include onlyone stack, or many stacks, as desired. Receptacles of different kindsmay be placed side by side on the conveyer 28 for simultaneous packingof different commodities. Also the machine may be changed to completenew set of subplates, as desired. The adjustable eccentric 40 and theadjustable connection between the levers 44 and the bar 38, by pins 89,permit an extensive change in the machine.

The vertical manual adjustment between the fingers 60 and 8-2 by screw76 permits variation of the machine for adaptation to rims of widelydifferent vertical thicknesses. The automatic vertical adjustment offinger 82 by the yielding of springs 64, 65, and 66 permits slightvariations to adapt the machine to operate on rims supposed to be of thesame thickness, but which sometimes accidentally vary a slight amountbecause of production tolerances.

For example, when a new shipment of receptacles is received, the rimheight may be somewhat different in the new shipment even when the samesize has been ordered. The vertical adjustment by movement of the screw76 permits a quick and facile adjustment to the new thickness.

On the other hand, the resilient mounting of the fingers 82automatically adjusts the machine for the slight tolerance variations inthe rim thickness which occur within a single stack or shipment. FIGS.14, '15, and 16 diagrammatically illustrate the automatic adjustment (inexaggerated scale) for slight tolerance variations. FIG. 14 shows thenormal operation of the fingers 82 and 60 with rims or beads of uniformvertical thickness. FIG. 15 shows a downward automatic adjustment offinger 82 to compensate for the under normal size of bead 98. FIG. 16shows an upward automatic adjustment of finger 82 to compensate for theover size of bead 99. FIG. 14 also indicates how the downward taper 61of finger 60 forces the displaced bead 100 and its receptacle 101downward from the stack to insure that receptacle 101 drops properly onthe conveyer 28.

In operation of the machine, a plurality of stacks of receptacle areplaced over the openings 26 and are guided in their downward movement bythe rods 32 and 34. The rods 34, because of their rounded ends 34a,provide the final horizontal alignment of the receptacles in the lowerzone preparatory to the dropping operation. The lowermost receptacle 94in the stack is supported during one stage of the operation (FIG. 4) bythe lower fingers 60 of the lever constructions 36, which are oscillatedby the bars 38. As the oscillations proceed from the position of FIG. 4to that of FIG. 5, the lower fingers move out from under the rim Ma andthe receptacle 94 drops through the opening 26, and the rim 95a rests onthe upper fingers 82, as shown in FIG. 5. As the oscillation reverses tothe position of FIG. 6, the rim 95a drops to the fingers 60, a distanceequal to the vertical thickness of the rim 95a, or the vertical distancebetween the fingers 60 and 82. If there are other receptacles stackedabove the receptacle 95, which is the normal condition, but which is notillustrated in the drawings for the sake of clearness, the receptaclenext above the receptacle 95 will then be separated by the knife-likefingers 82 as they enter the intergroove 96 formed between the rims ofthe receptacles. Further movement of the lever constructions 36 causesthe upper fingers 82 to enter completely into the groove 96 in themanner previously described. This operation is repeated indefinitely.The receptacles fall on the conveyer 28 and proceed in rowscorresponding to the number of stacks. The receptacles on the conveyerare then filled with the desired products, such as individual dinners tobe frozen for future use, etc.

The adjustable features heretofore described permit the use of differentreceptacles simultaneously in different stacks, and the machine may alsobe quickly adjusted for variations which occur in different shipmentsreceived '6 from the supplier of the receptacles. A slight deformity inany one receptacle, such as indicated at 97 in FIG. 6, does notdisarrange the entire stack, as is usual in previ ous machines. Otherfeatures disclosed add to the efficiency of the machine. Thus a veryefficient and adaptable dispenser is provided.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, asrequired by statute, other embodiments may be used, all coming withinthe scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacles from aplurality of stacks of receptacles having inter-groove formng rimscomprising: a main support including a large base plate having a largesub-base plate receiving opening surrounded by a flange construction anda plurality of sub-base plates supported within said large opening onsaid flange construction and individually and upwardly removabletherefrom, each sub-base plate having a receptacle dropping openinglarger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims; meansadjacent said receptacle dropping openings guiding said receptacles fromsaid stacks through their respective receptacle dropping openings; aplurality of supporting lever constructions oscillatable adjacent saidreceptacle dropping openings, each lever construction having one endextending toward the edge of the respective receptacle dropping openingand having its other end extending over the large base plate and havinga slot therein, each of said lever constructions having a main leverwith intermediate fulcrum means on its respective sub-base plate; afirst knifelike finger carried by each main lever over the edge of itsrespective receptacle dropping opening; a second knifelike fingercarried by each main lever extending over the edge of its respectivereceptacle dropping opening and being laterally and vertically spacedfrom said first knifelike finger, the vertical spacing of such fingersbeing a distance substantially equal to the vertical thickness of saidrims; an oscillatable bar supported on said large base plate and havingupwardly directed pin means received in said slots of said leverconstructions whereby said lever constructions can be released from saidoscillatable bar by merely lifting said sub base plates verticallyupwardly until said slots of said lever constructions clear said pinmeans; and means for oscillating said bar.

2. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack ofreceptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a supporthaving an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of saidrims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through saidopening; fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening; a leverhorizontally and oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means andextending toward said opening; means for horizontally oscillating saidlever adjacent said opening; a lower plate mounted on said fulcrum meansin fixed spaced relationship to said lever; means fixedly securing saidlower plate to said lever in fixed spaced relationship from said lever;an upper plate intermediate said lever and said lower plate; pivot meansbetween said upper plate and lever; spring means between said upperplate and said lower plate rocking said upper plate about said pivotmeans; an adjustable screw in said lever bearing on said upper plate inoppositionto said spring means; said plates each having knife-likefingers extending over said opening and being normally spaced verticallyfrom each other a distance substantially equal to the thickness of therims of said receptacles and being spaced horizontally from each other adistance to drop the lowest receptacle from said stack and support thenext lowest receptacle in said stack during each oscillation of saidlever.

3. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack ofreceptacles havinginter-groove forming rims comprising: a support havingan opening i runs; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptaclesthrough said opening; a vertical fulcrum pin on said support adjacentsaid opening; a lever horizontally and oscillatably mounted about saidfulcrum pin and extending toward said opening; means for horizontallyoscillating said lever adjacent said opening; a lower plate mountedabout said fulcrum pin in fixed spaced relationship to said lever; awasher and first screw fixedly securing said lower plate to said leverin fixed spaced relationship; an upper plate intermediate said lever andlower plale; a pivot between said upper plate and lever; firstcompression spring means between said lower plate and said upper platerocking said upper plate about said pivct; an adjustable second screw insaid lever bearing on said upper plate in opposition to said springmeans; a second and weaker compression spring means between said upperand lower plates on the opposite side of said pivot from said firstcompression spring means, said plates each plate loosely surrounds saidwasher and first screw.

5. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack ofreceptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a supporthaving an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of saidrims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through saidopening; fulcrum means on said support I adjacent said opening; a leverhorizontally and oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means andextending toward said opening; means for horizontally oscillating saidlever adjacent said opening; a lower plate fixedly secured to saidlever; a pivot means carried by said lever; an upper plate pivotallymounted to said pivot means between said lever and lower plate; springmeans rocking said upper plate about said pivot means; an adjustablescrew acting between said lever and said upper plate in opposition tosaid spring means; said plates each having knife-like fingers extendingover said opening and being normally spaced vertically from each other adistance substantially equal to the thickness of the rims of saidreceptacles and being spaced horizontally from each other a distance todrop the lowest receptacle from said stack and support the next lowestreceptacle in said stack during each oscillation of said lever.

6. A machine for serially dropping the lowest recep- :tacle from a stackof receptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a supporthaving an opening vlarger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said;rims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through saidopening; a vertical fulcrum pin on said support adjacent said opening; ahorizontal lever oscillatably mounted about said fulcrum pin andextending toward said opening; means for oscillating said lever aboutsaid pin adjacent said opening; a pivot means carried by said lever; alower plate fixedly secured to said lever; an upper platepivotallysecured to said pivot means of said lever; spring means biasing saidupper plate; an

adjustable screw positioned between said lever and said upper plateacting in opposition to said spring means; said plates each havingknife-like fingers extending over said opening and being normally spacedvertically from each other a distance substantially equal to thethickness or" the rims of said receptacles and being spaced horizontally"from each other a distance to drop the lowest receptacle from saidstack and support the next lowest receptacle in "said stack during eachoscillation of said lever.

7.-A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack ofreceptacles having inter-groove .forming rims comprising: a supporthaving an opening larger than the maximum horizontal perphery of saidrims; means adjacent said opening guiding said recepta:les through saidopening; a vertical fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening;a horizontal lever oscilatably mounted about said fulcrum means andextending toward said opening; means for oscillating said lever aboutsaid fulcrum means adjacent said opening; a lower plate connected tosaid lever; an upper plate connected to said lever; vertically andlaterally spaced knife-like fingers on said plates; and means located onthe upper side of said lever for adjusting the vertical distance betweensaid plates without dismantling said plates from said lever.

8. A machine for serially dropping the lowest recepr tacle from a stackof receptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a supporthaving an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of saidrims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through saidopening; an vertical fulcrum means on said support adjacent saidopening; a horizontal lever oscillatably mounted about said fulcrummeans and extending toward said opening; means for oscillating saidlever about said fulcrum means adjacent said opening; a lower platefixedly connected to said lever; an upper plate flexibly connected tosaid lever; vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers on saidplates; and means carried by said lever for adjusting the verticaldistance between said plates.

9. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack ofmulti-sided receptacles having intergroove forming rims comprising:means for holding said stack of multi-sided receptacles with their sidesin fixed vertical planes; vertical fulcrum means substantially alignedWith one of said vertical planes; a horizontal lever oscillatablymounted on said fulcrum means substantially aligned with said last namedplane and with one end rockable adjacent the intersection of said lastnamed plane with another plane; a lower plate connected to said lever atsaid one end; upper plate connected to said lever at said one end;vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers on said plates; andmeans for oscillating said lever with said plates and fingers adjacentsaid intersection serially to release the lowest receptacle from saidstack.

l0.'A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stackof multi-sided receptacles having intergroove forming rims comprising:means for holding said stack of multi-sided receptacles with their sidesin fixed vertical planes; vertical fulcrum means substantially alignedwith one of said vertical planes; a horizontal lever oscillatablymounted on said fulcrum means with one end rockable adjacent theintersection of said last named plane with another plane; a lower platefixedly connected to said lever at said one end; an upper plate flexiblyconnected to said lever at said one end; vertically and laterally spacedknife-like fingers on said plates; and means for oscillating said leverwith said plates and fingers adjacent said intersection serially-torelease the lowest receptacle from said stack.

11. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacles from aplurality of stacks of receptacles having inter-groove forming rimscomprising: a large main base having a sub-base plate receiving openingsurrounded by a flange construction for receiving a plurality of down-Wardly deposited and upwardly removable sub-bases; a plurality ofdownwardly deposited and upwardly removable sub-bases on said flangeconstruction on said large main base and each having a receptacledropping opening therein, each sub-base having a receptacle stackreceiver and a bottom receptacle remover including an operating leverextending beyond said sub-base and over said main base, said leversserially dropping receptacles from said stacks through said receptacledropping openings in said sub-base plates; an oscillatable bar on saidmain base under said levers; upwardly directed pin means carried by saidbar; said levers having transversely disposed slot means thereinrespectively receiving said pin means whereby said levers can bedisconnected from said bar by lifting vertically upwardly on saidsub-base until said slots clear said pin means; and oscillating means tooscillate said oscillatable bar.

12. A machine according to claim 11, in which said pin means arelongitudinally adjustable along said bar.

13. A machine according to claim 11, in which another set of leversextend from the other side of said sub-bases and are similarly connectedto a second similar oscillatable bar Which is oscillated by saidoscillating means.

14. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stackof receptacles having inter-groove forming rims of the same peripheraldimensions and comprising a support having an opening larger than themaximum horizontal periphery of said rims, fulcrum means on saidsupport, a lever oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means, a lowerplate, means connecting said lower plate to said lever, an upper plate,means connecting said upper plate to said lever, said platesrespectively having vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingersfor respectively spanning the rim of the lowest receptacle of said stackand for serially dropping said receptacles through said opening as saidlever oscillates, said means connecting said plates to said leverautomatically effecting relative movement between said plates to varythe vertical distance between said fingers to span rims of varyingvertical dimensions.

15. In combination, a stack of receptacles having intergroove formingrims of the same peripheral dimensions, a support having an openinglarger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims, fulcrum meanson said support, a lever oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means, alower plate, means connecting said lower plate to said lever, an upperplate, means connecting said upper plate to said lever, said platesrespectively having vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingersrespectively spanning the rim of the lowerest receptacle of said stackand serially dropping said receptacles through said opening as saidlever oscillates, said means connecting said plates to said leverautomatically effecting relative movement between said plates to varythe vertical distance between said fingers to span rims of varyingvertical dimen- SIOHS.

16. In combination, a stack of receptacles having intergroove formingrims of the same peripheral dimensions, a support having an openinglarger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims, meansadjacent said opening for guiding said receptacles through said opening,fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening, a leveroscillatably mounted about said fulcrum means adjacent said opening; alower plate, means connecting said lower plate to said lever, an upperplate, means connecting said upper plate to said lever, said platesrespectively having vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingersrespectively spanning the rim of the lowerest receptacle and seriallydropping said receptacles through said opening as said lever oscillates,said means connecting said plates to said lever automatically effectingrelative movement between said plates to vary the vertical distancebetween said fingers to span rims of varying vertical dimen' sions.

17. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stackof receptacles having inter-groove forming rims of the same peripheraldimensions and comprising a support having an opening larger than themaximum horizontal periphery of said rims, fulcrum means on said supportadjacent said opening, a lever oscillatably mounted about said fulcrummeans adjacent said opening, a first plate, means connecting said firstplate to said lever, a second plate, means pivotally connecting saidsecond plate to said lever, said plates respectively having verticallyand laterally spaced knife-like fingers respectively spanning the rim ofthe lowest receptacle and serially dropping said receptacles throughsaid opening as said lever oscillates, said means pivotally connectingsaid second plate to said lever, causing said second plate to pivotvertically away from said first plate when a receptacle having a widerim is received therebetween and cansing said second plate to pivotvertically toward said first plate when a receptacle having a narrow rimis received therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,091,921 Flatau Mar. 31, 1914 2,309,568 Bell Jan. 26, 1943 2,352,764Bell July 4, 1944 2,389,905 Harriss et al. Nov. 27, 1945 2,412,441Carson et al Dec. 10, 1946 2,518,294 Dennis et a1. Aug. 8, 19502,519,579 Johnson Aug. 22, 1950 2,602,556 Sheehan July 8, 1952 2,618,394Miller Nov. 18, 1952 2,620,076 Bongiovanni Dec. 2, 1952 2,639,045 WahlMay 19, 1953 2,721,002 Smith Oct. 18, 1955 2,730,268 Moesch Jan. 10,1956 2,858,043 Fenton et a1 Oct. 28, 1958 2,869,755 Gaudreau Jan. 20,1959

1. A MACHINE FOR SERIALLY DROPPING THE LOWEST RECEPTACLES FROM APLURALITY OF STACKS OF RECEPTACLES HAVING INTER-GROOVE FORMING RIMSCOMPRISING: A MAIN SUPPORT INCLUDING A LARGE BASE PLATE HAVING A LARGESUB-BASE PLATE RECEIVING OPENING SURROUNDED BY A FLANGE CONSTRUCTION ANDA PLURALITY OF SUB-BASE PLATES SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID LARGE OPENING ONSAID FLANGE CONSTRUCTION AND INDIVIDUALLY AND UPWARDLY REMOVABLETHEREFROM, EACH SUB-BASE PLATE HAVING A RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGLARGER THAN THE MAXIMUM HORIZONTAL PERIPHERY OF SAID RIMS; MEANSADJACENT SAID RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGS GUIDING SAID RECEPTACLES FROMSAID STACKS THROUGH THEIR RESPECTIVE RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGS; APLURALITY OF SUPPORTING LEVER CONSTRUCTIONS OSCILLATABLE ADJACENT SAIDRECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGS, EACH LEVER CONSTRUCTION HAVING ONE ENDEXTENDING TOWARD THE EDGE OF THE RESPECTIVE RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGAND HAVING ITS OTHER END EXTENDING OVER THE LARGE BASE PLATE AND HAVINGA SLOT THEREIN, EACH OF SAID LEVER CONSTRUCTIONS HAVING A MAIN LEVERWITH INTERMEDIATE FULCRUM MEANS ON ITS RESPECTIVE SUB-BASE PLATE; AFIRST KNIFE-